ON all three occasions at its June meeting, when planning officers made recommendations to Moyne Shire Council to reject planning applications, shire councillors went against advice and instead moved that permits be granted.

At the meeting, motions 10, 11 and 12 related to planning permits, two of which concerned applications for two adjacent blocks at 194 and 196 Griffiths Street in Port Fairy.

The proposal for 194 concerned building a double story dwelling on the rear lot.

As per normal process, the application was referred to relevant authorities including the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (GHCMA) and neighbours. One objection was received but subsequently withdrawn. 

A response from GHCMA stated that the planning permit should not be issued because of access issues during a flood event as it would be blocked by water.

Moyne Shire manager for planning, building and health, Robyn Olsen, said GHCMA’s response determined planning officers’ recommendation that Council refuse the application in this case.

Cr Daniel Meade moved a motion that a permit be granted and was seconded by Cr Karen Foster.

“We’ve had several presentations on this,” Cr Meade said.

“It’s my view that … it was put forward several years ago and (there were) no objections then.

“The applicant has gone to lengths to mitigate some of the risks for potential flooding in that area.”

Cr Foster recognised the hard work by the planning team and said she didn’t like to go against the planning officers’ advice but common sense should prevail and that if there was a flooding event of the magnitude the GHCMA has warned about, then access to all properties would be blocked.

“Planning is such a vexed topic for some of us,” she said.

“But I can’t see how this would possibly be seen to be common sense… and therefore I am very happy to support the alternative motion to grant a permit.”

Cr Lockett also spoke in support of the planning approval.

“The designs are being adapted to climate change … and I’m happy to support the alternative motion,” he said.

The motion was passed unanimously.

Regarding 196 Griffiths Street, the application was again for building and works. Despite the applicants responding to issues raised by GHCMA, the planning officers recommended the application be refused.

Cr Purcell moved the permit be granted with conditions, and Cr Doukas seconded the motion.

A third proposal concerned a landowner’s application to subdivide a 3.48 hectare parcel of farmland with one existing dwelling on the outskirts of Koroit, into two smaller lots for residential use and to build a second dwelling on the second lot.

Ms Olsen said the proposed dwelling was a three-bedroom single storey dwelling and that Council had seen several of these application types recently.

“The subdivision has been considered under the farming zone and the relevant items that have been considered by the planning officer is whether the use and development relate to sustainable land management,” she said.

“(It was also considered) whether it was compatible with adjoining and nearby land uses, (which is) predominantly agriculture.

“It was considered that it didn’t contribute to sustainable land management.”

Ms Olsen said whether impacts from farming practices would impact on the non-agricultural dwellings was also considered, including, dust, noise, odour and use of chemicals.

“It was found to be incongruous with planning policy,” she said.

Cr Damian Gleeson moved the motion to grant the permit, with Cr Jim Doukas seconding the motion.

Mayor Ian Smith joined councillor James Purcell in agreement with the planning officers and voted to reject the application.

“It is setting a precedence of fragmenting prime agricultural farmland into smaller lots,” Cr Smith said.

“We’ve just been through amendment C70 where we had a chance to say what is farming land and what is residential land.

“I think once we continue to do this, we will finish up with no farming land left.”

However, the remaining five councillors disagreed and argued that exceptions should be made.

Cr Gleeson said the owners have owned the land for 31 years over which time it has not been farmed their neighbours have not opposed the proposal.

He recognised the work the planning officers do and that it was imperative to protect farming zones, but that the land proposed for subdivision was a small parcel and the proposed development would not “limit the neighbour’s ability to farm”.

Cr Doukas was in support of approving the proposal and said Moyne Shire was about building families. In opposing the development, Cr Purcell said land value increased every time was subdivided which makes it more difficult and more expensive for farmers to expand their agricultural enterprise.